


On Her Star Lady's Guardian Angel

by TheLoneSoldier



Category: Super Mario & Related Fandoms, Super Mario Bros. (Video Games), Super Mario Galaxy
Genre: Adventure, F/M, Fanfiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Gen, Nintendo - Freeform, Princess - Freeform, Romance, Rosalina - Freeform, fighterpilot, galaxy, luma - Freeform, lumas - Freeform, mario - Freeform, noncanon, princessrosalina, supermario, supermariogalaxy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:48:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24892636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLoneSoldier/pseuds/TheLoneSoldier
Summary: Shortly after the events of Super Mario Galaxy, Princess Rosalina receives a special request from a lone jet fighter pilot who wishes to join her in her home, the Comet Observatory. However, there is much more with the space princess that the fighter pilot has in mind besides being her sole guardian. The unknown awaits their relationship in a journey through the masses.
Relationships: Princess Rosalina/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 5





	1. Letter of Invitation

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Note: 
> 
> I declare that most of the details in my story are non-canon to the Mario universe, including my original character in this story. Although, some stuff is canon, such as what happened to the Mushroom Kingdom during the events of Super Mario Galaxy. Also, I cannot guarantee that I can have the story updated consistently, since there is a little brat on the side called Life. I dedicate this story to the Super Mario character, Rosalina, as well as other Rosalina fans. All characters of Super Mario are owned by Nintendo.
> 
> Enjoy the story!

((()))

_**Chapter 1** _

_**"Letter of Invitation"** _

_“Dear Princess Rosalina,_

_I write this personal letter to you to request something from you that no one has ever thought about. You may not know me well, but I have known all about you over the course of the last war. According to the records of the Mushroom Kingdom’s castle, I have built a reputation of being the most resilient & the most skillful fighter pilot in the region, which partially led to the Mushroom Kingdom’s successful victory in the war._

_In case you did not know, I am an orphan: alone, in solitary in this world, in this galaxy. I believe that is one of the many things you and I have in common, and that is just one of the many aspects of us both that I yearn so eagerly to explore, because_ _I feel that there is a strong mysterious connection between us._

_And that is what I am requesting in this letter:_

_I, Randel Van Deer, request from you, Princess Rosalina, to permanently accept me, along with my fighter aircraft, as your personal guardian stationed aboard your home, the Comet Observatory, throughout the endless masses of the universe and forever in time._

_With this special request, I write this letter sincerely, and I await your response, accepted or denied._

_Sincerely,_

_Randel Van Deer_

_Mercenary Fighter Pilot, Mushroom Kingdom”_

Those are the words that are spoken from Princess Rosalina’s lips as she finishes reading the unexpected letter sent by the lone fighter pilot, much to her surprise. She is flattered that this one man, instead of nobody else in the world or even in the entire galaxy, had the sudden initiative to write such a letter to her. Out of the many centuries Rosalina has lived (as partially immortal), she has never received mail in her Comet Observatory until today. She could feel herself blush as the thought of a respectful, unexpected visitor crossed her mind. Though, Rosalina is curious: what would this person, in particular, have anything to do with her this badly? Is it the sense of accomplishment this person has from the last war in relation to her? Is it her looks? Is it space travel that interests him? Or is it the fact that she is one of the most interesting and one of the most powerful human beings to ever exist? Many questions blow around in her mind like a tornado, overwhelming her ability to comprehend the fighter pilot’s request. Nevertheless, Rosalina acknowledges the fact of being a powerful figure.

Princess Rosalina.

Protector of the Cosmos. Mother of the Stars. The Lady of the Shooting Stars. The Space Goddess. The Adoptive Mother of the Lumas. Commander of the Comet Observatory.

Yes, she is all of that, indeed, and she has been for a very, very long time. Rosalina couldn’t recount how many centuries she had lived already. She could only remember that she was granted a mysterious immortality the day she found a Luma and left her home planet to search for its “mother.” Though, in the end, she was the mother that the Luma was looking for all along.

And that is a milestone in her life that she will never forget, not in a million more years, not ever. If there is one person in the entire universe that knew patience best more than anyone else, it is Princess Rosalina. However, she realizes there is no room for her patience with Mr. Van Deer’s special request. She is half curious and half excited at the same time, and it gives her a very good reason to fly the Comet Observatory back to the planet where the Mushroom Kingdom resides, since the 3-in-1 home/comet/ship is all the way in another galaxy far away; though, with the Power Stars’ extraordinary power, they could get the Comet Observatory to the destination within an hour.

With the many thoughts still lingering in her head, Princess Rosalina, standing in the dome where her own bedroom is, stares at her tall, petite figure in the mirror next to her purple bed. She smiles as she acknowledges every physical detail of herself: cyan-colored dress that spanned from her breasts all the way down to her cyan-colored heels, her long blonde hair with a large bang covering her right eye & a silver crown on top of her head, blue eyes, purple nail polish, yellow star-shaped earrings, her tall 5-foot 10-inch height, and her 30-year-old age (physically, though). Because she has the powers of a space goddess, she can hover a couple of feet above the ground and “glide” smoothly instead of walking on her feet.

It was obvious: Rosalina made the perfect princess.

And those characteristics are just enough to make a good impression for her incoming visitor…

…because she is heavily set on inviting him over.

“ _Hmm…an extra pair of hands onboard wouldn’t hurt._ ” Rosalina thought to herself, considering she is the only human present on the Comet Observatory, with the rest of the lifeforms onboard being the numerous amounts of Lumas, Lubba, who is the lead captain of the Luma species, and a mechanical Gearmo stationed in the dome where the engine room is. If Rosalina imagined the Lumas, Lubba, and the Gearmo out of the picture, she is indeed the only human onboard. She is technically alone, going by that imagination. But now, with Mr. Van Deer’s request letter, she sees that this could be her chance of not having to be a lone human on the Comet Observatory any longer.

Through telepathy, she tells her most trusted advisor, Polari, to come to her dome immediately because she has to discuss Mr. Van Deer with him. The elder black-colored, blue-eyed Luma glides across Rosalina’s bedroom until he is in plain view of the mirror she continued to stare at. “Yes, Princess?” Polari says. “What could be on your mind at this very moment?” He asks out of curiosity.

Before answering him, Rosalina tilts her head slightly to the side, admiring her ocean-blue eyes that had a hint of sparkles on them. “Do you remember Randel Van Deer?” The blue dress-wearing young woman asks the Luma.

“Ah, yes. I remember him, indeed. He helped the Mushroom Kingdom turn the tide of the war against King Bowser’s Koopa Troop when he attacked the Comet Observatory to conquer the universe.” Polari explains.

“…Hm.” was all that Rosalina can get out as she continues to stare at her own figure in the mirror. She can feel the distant memories of her past each second she spends gazing into her own sparkling eyes.

Noticing Rosalina’s lack of an enthusiastic response, Polari becomes concerned. “Why, what’s the matter? Is something wrong with Mr. Van Deer?” Polari asks, carefully studying every inch of his master’s face.

The space princess chuckles as she takes a last glance of her beautiful face, then turns away from the mirror to face Polari. She begins to explain. “Mr. Van Deer has sent me an interesting letter. He wishes to offer his services as my guardian.”

Upon hearing that, Polari froze for a moment, staring at his master’s eyes like as if she did something very wrong. After what seemed like an eternity, Polari breaks his silence. “A-And…? What did you say?” He stutters.

“I think I shall happily accept his request.” Rosalina declares with a slight smile.

Polari couldn’t help but get wide-eyed by his master’s declaration. He couldn’t believe it at all. “W-What!? Princess, are you sure about this? You do realize that if he is to be your guardian…”

“Yes, I know. Van Deer will be living with us on OUR home, considering he stated in his letter that his stay is to be permanent.” The princess finishes for Polari, stressing the word ‘our’ quite clearly.

Thinking about Rosalina’s decision for a moment, Polari nods in agreement. “Well, he is an exceptional fighter pilot after all. He could prove useful to the protection of our ship, considering the many kinds of enemies out there.”

Rosalina turns away to face the other side of her bedroom, placing a hand on her chin and looking up at the ceiling to think deeply. “We may have a big crew onboard this ship, but the Lumas can only do so much in defense. Not even they can stop an entire fleet of King Bowser’s. Mr. Van Deer’s assistance may be our draw card in the heat of battle.”

Polari replies back instantly. “This much aid from just one man?”

“Yes, Polari…” Rosalina answers with reassurance. “Just Mr. Van Deer alone. I can sense something…powerful in him. I don’t know what it is, but there is just something about him that makes him very trustworthy. I’ve never felt this way about someone before…”

Rosalina thought the idea of stationing Randel Van Deer on the Comet Observatory to be a very vital asset, considering the events that took place during the incident in the last war where King Bowser led his Koopa Troopa fleet to steal Princess Peach Toadstool’s castle, haul it into the center of the universe, steal Power Stars from Rosalina’s Comet Observatory, and destroy the universe to create a new but worse one. Randel Van Deer’s impact on the Mushroom Kingdom has proven his worth right then & there. Rosalina didn’t need confirmation. She knew Van Deer can triumph over the odds. Perhaps, he is the defense she truly needed all this time.

After hearing Rosalina’s reasons, Polari sighs. “Very well, Princess. You may do as you desire. May us welcome Mr. Van Deer aboard the Comet Observatory.” He tells her before leaving her bedroom to leave her in her final thoughts.

Rosalina couldn’t help but feel eager towards her upcoming face-to-face meeting with the mysterious pilot. She had so many questions, yet so many emotions coursing through her system. She wonders what they will talk about, how they will accommodate things, and what the defense strategy will be should an emergency arise. She could see Mr. Van Deer’s audacity in wanting to protect what he cherishes dearest, whether it is the residents of the Mushroom Kingdom, his friends, or herself. Rosalina feels honored that Randel Van Deer looks up to her so much that he is willing to put himself in harm’s way just to make sure that she doesn’t. Sure, Rosalina has more than enough protection, but for someone THIS devoted to her safety and well-being, she is amazed at this whole new level of commitment & willingness. Ever since the tragic loss of her family at a very young age, she had no other human to have a special bond with. Though, the Lumas filled that void of her heart during that time, Van Deer: a person who is seemingly just like her, may just complete the filling of that void. After all, his willingness to become her guardian is basically a free service. She couldn’t complain. She may just give Randel Van Deer a shot at a new journey, a new life.

“…Thank you, Polari.” Rosalina’s mature-sounding, mystical voice says to him via her telepathic ability, to which he acknowledges with a small squeal.

((()))

Shortly after her private conversation with Polari, unbeknownst to Lubba & all of the other Lumas, Rosalina stands at the front deck of the Comet Observatory grounds waving bye-bye at the apricot-colored Luma. The Luma waves back with a cheerful squeal as it takes a strong hold onto a golden envelope in its arms. The nearby green Launch Star launches the Luma away from the Comet Observatory towards outer space far, far away towards the Mushroom Kingdom. After sending the Luma away on its messenger mission, Rosalina closes her eyes while smiling and makes a small laugh, for she knows she made a great decision.

_“To Mr. Randel Van Deer,_

_It is a pleasure to read about your request to join me and the Lumas aboard the Comet Observatory during this lifelong journey through the infinity which is the universe. I happily accept your services as my guardian onboard my home._

_With only very few heroes in this realm, it is a blessing for you to commit to an unconditional duty for the safety of my children and I. Having reviewed your fighter pilot record, I conclude that your will to protect and serve us on the Comet Observatory will be very much appreciated._

_We both will discuss the transfer accommodations very soon._

_I eagerly look forward to our initial meeting._

_Sincerely,_

_Princess Rosalina_

_Lady of the Shooting Stars_

_Commander of the Comet Observatory”_

Feeling a new surge of positive energy in her, Princess Rosalina happily reminisces the fact that she just recruited her own personal guardian.

((()))

_**To be continued...** _


	2. Randel Van Deer

**_ Chapter 2 _ **

**__ **

**_ “Randel Van Deer” _ **

**__ **

((()))

Randel Van Deer finishes zipping the green crew bag that he is about to bring with him in his transfer to the Comet Observatory. Knowing this could be the last time he could see the Mushroom Kingdom for a very, very long time, Van Deer takes one last good look around his quarters, absorbing the elegant appearance of it, which had lots of shiny gold trim and pink & white décor. Though, the fighter pilot has become exhausted of seeing pink & gold all around him, but there is no place for him to complain since he has been living inside Princess Peach Toadstool’s castle during and after the last war against King Bowser & his plot to control the universe.

“This is farewell.” Randel Van Deer whispers to himself before picking up his green bag. Just before he leaves the room, he grabs a picture frame that contains a photo of him & other well-known residents of the Mushroom Kingdom, including Mario, Luigi, Toad, Yoshi, and Princess Peach; however, the photo was taken near the bridge in front of Princess Peach’s castle. The photo commended those who made a positive impact in the Mushroom community, both inside and outside the war. In Randel’s case, it was his heroic actions in the war that led to the Mushroom Kingdom’s victory.

Staring at the wall, Randel remembers when he helped Mario during his final pursuit of Bowser to the center of the universe, where he followed Mario in his jet fighter through space and time. Maio, being sent by Princess Rosalina from the Comet Observatory, was in much need of aerial assistance. Since no other person of Princess Peach’s kingdom was available or combat-capable to help fight against Bowser, Randel Van Deer was the only one to defend Mario against Bowser’s foes in outer space during his approach. Without Van Deer’s aerial aid, Mario would have gotten killed. Talk about desperate times…

Randel Van Deer is an orphan: he lost his family to the terror of King Bowser’s conquest of the Mushroom Kingdom in his early years, where Princess Peach was still only a little child at the time. There was only so much that Peach’s father, ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom at the time, could do in retaliation due to the diminishing amount of Toad soldiers in his garrison; however, Mario and Luigi were the ones who came to the rescue. The loss of his family by King Bowser’s conquest was what drove Randel Van Deer’s hatred towards him and any other evil being out there that seek to do the same.

Randel wanted to be unique. He wanted to stand out from the crowd. He didn’t just want to be a soldier. He wanted to be something else from the Toads. He wanted to take control of the skies: something no one in the Mushroom Kingdom has specialized in other than Mario using small ship to defeat bosses in various kingdoms in the past. Randel soon climbed up the ladder as a lone mercenary fighter pilot for hire, with his hatred being the fuel for his actions. However, he knew better than the evil bad guys: he did not use the hatred for evil intentions. He used his hatred to fuel the motive to do good for those in need. He saw himself as an unsung hero of the skies, and that is what Princess Peach saw in him. And so, Princess Peach made him her little white dove of the skies.

…Until she later discovered the letter of request that Randel had sent to Princess Rosalina.

Storing the picture frame inside his bag, he exits his quarters to take one last walk through Princess Peach’s castle that has been his home in recent years until now. After reminiscing the memories of the prestigious-looking halls, he ends up outside the bridge where the bright sun shines down on him and the vegetation are a very vibrant green. Upon seeing Mario & Luigi approaching him, he waves at them with a gentle gesture.

“Randel!” Mario exclaims with his thick Italian accent. “So, today’s the day, ya? You’re really leaving?” Randel nods slowly as he watches the short red-wearing plumber’s face curl with dismay.

Noticing this, Luigi asks, “Aren’t you going to miss…” Luigi pauses for a moment and decides to look around him to supplement his question. “…all of this?” His Italian accent finishes.

“Yeah…but I have my reasons. I have this strong feeling that I am needed up there. I go where my instincts send me, and I am confident in my survival abilities. You don’t have to worry about me. I promise I won’t die on you guys.” The mercenary fighter pilot tells them. Randel knew just how much of a sentiment he meant to Mario, despite only knowing him as long as the previous war lasted. Mario still had so much to thank him, because if it weren’t for Randel’s help with the final approach to Bowser in the center of the universe, Mario wouldn’t have rescued his ‘special one.’

Speaking of ‘special one’, Princess Peach approaches them, with Toad accompanying her. Though, she is slightly saddened by Randel’s decision to leave her kingdom permanently, let alone the planet, as ruler of her kingdom, she happily accepts it. The pink dress-wearing, yellow hair-colored princess isn’t one to be put down by sad emotions, because to her, the most terrifying thing that could happen to any princess is being kidnapped again by King Bowser or any other notorious entity out there. Princess Peach knows that wherever Randel Van Deer will go, the one he protects will always be protected because of his amazing aerial combat flight abilities, and that is the assurance she needs so she can let her pilot go.

“Mr. Van Deer.” She calmly says with a slight smile. Randel gazes back into her ocean-blue eyes as he now focuses his attention on her. “It is saddening to see you go. However, I have sent my response to Princess Rosalina’s letter of request about taking you in as her new pilot. You are free to go as you wish.” Princess Peach’s gentle high-pitched voice lingers in the fresh air, with Van Deer putting down his bags to kneel in front of her in an honorable gesture.

“Princess Peach…” He starts. “…forgive me for my voluntary departure from your kingdom and from your castle. This calling has willed me into allegiance with Princess Rosalina, but no matter what, this place will always be my home.”

Chuckling, Princess Peach places a hand underneath Randel’s chin and angles his face upwards so that they gaze at each other’s eyes. “There is no need for a formal apology. You were considered my family since the beginning, Randel Van Deer.” She smiles as she helps Randle up on his feet. “I am assured that you will be in good hands.”

Randel nods with a smile in return.

However, Peach returns with another statement. “And please try not to let your next princess get kidnapped.”

Though, feeling a bit embarrassed by this, Randel scoffs. “Y-Yeah…”

“Mr. Van Deer!” Toad calls out. “The princess has something for you before you depart!” He finishes while cupping a gold solid coin.

On the coin, it contains a gold engraving of Princess Peach’s emblem, which consists of a gold crown with blue & red rubies. Princess Peach grasps it out of Toad’s hands and gently presents the coin to Randel. He admires it shiny, lustrous finish; it reflects its beautiful color into his chocolate-brown eyes. Accepting it with honor and gratefulness, he happily receives the coin. “A souvenir from the castle to remember it by, custom-made specially for you, just so any viewer can see who you last served.” Princess Peach says with a smile.

“Thank you, Princess Peach. I will never forget you and all of this.” Randel thanks her gratefully before turning to look at Mario, Luigi, and a group of other Toads witnessing his good-byes. “Well, guys, this is it. This pilot starts his new mission.” He declares as he picks up his green crew bags and gently puts on a pair of black aviator-style sunglasses, which compliments the dark-colored formal suit he is wearing. The Toads clap in applause as they chant “Randel!” repeatedly; as they do this, other residents of the castle grounds in the distance are clapping as well.

Randel turns towards Toad. “Is my aircraft ready?”

Toad nods. “Affirmative, Mr. Van Deer!”

“Great. Then I’m all set.” Randel states. After acknowledging the cheers from the crowds, Randel approaches the Mario brothers, placing a hand on Mario’s shoulder. “This is farewell.” He then glances over to Princess Peach, who is watching them. Then he looks back at Mario & Luigi. “You guys take care of her, okay? That is your promise to me.” He says with a professional tone.

Not hesitating to respond to their comrade one bit, both plumbers nod in response. “Of course, we will!” Mario says with confidence. “Okie dokie!” Luigi says with confidence as well. “Tell Princess Rosalina we said hello for us, will you?” Mario asks.

Randel nods & smiles at them before walking away with his green bags and Princess Peach’s gold emblem coin in his pocket. The group watch his slim figure walk farther and farther away as he approaches a hot air balloon commandeered by two Toads, which is his method of transportation to the Comet Observatory.

Looking up towards the bright blue sky, Princess Peach notices the Comet Observatory parked high up in the sky above her Mushroom Kingdom, awaiting the arrival of its new addition to its crew.

As the hot air balloon transporting Van Deer begins to take off from the ground, so does another hot air balloon transporting what seems to be a gray-colored jet fighter that is tethered by multiple ropes some distance underneath it. Van Deer required the aircraft to be with him onboard the Comet Observatory, his next & permanent duty station, and it is a very, very important machine for him to have at all times. The aircraft is already loaded with its weapons payload, which are visible on the outside of the aircraft. The aircraft’s rear vertical stabilizers were painted black & yellow with Princess Peach’s pink & gold crown emblem, the same exact emblem on the gold souvenir coin Randel received from Princess Peach.

On both sides of the cockpit were black painted letters that read the pilot’s name: “ _Randel Van Deer, Mercenary_.”

On the sides of both engines were black painted letters that read: “ _F-14D ‘Super Tomcat_.’”

((()))

As Mario & Luigi watch the departure continue high into the bright blue skies, Mario mutters quietly to his green-wearing brother, Luigi. “Do you believe SHE is his ‘special one’?”

After thinking for a moment, Luigi comes with an answer after realizing the ‘SHE’ Mario is referring to. “…Maybe.”

((()))

**_ To be continued… _ **


	3. Mutual Connection

**_Chapter 3_ **

****

**_“Mutual Connection”_ **

****

((()))

Randel Van Deer’s gaze deepens as the sight of the Comet Observatory comes closer & closer into his view. Seeing it up close now, he realizes just how massive its size is for a hybrid home/space station. During the last war, he did not really have much time to acknowledge its size, since he only did quick flybys in his F-14D ‘Super Tomcat’ fighter plane to assist in various objectives with Mario. “ _So, this is my home now…_ ” Randel says in his head. He knows he will have lots of exploring to do today.

With the hot air balloon now entering the front main platform of the Comet Observatory’s grounds, Randel sees Princess Rosalina, dressed in her elegant cyan-colored dress, standing at the middle of it with a black-colored Luma floating next to her. For some reason, the exact moment Randel and Rosalina’s eyes lock with each other, Randel felt a quick sharp surge of excitement in his body. He begins to feel slightly weak in his knees, and he feels like smiling. What was this feeling?

“ _Ah, Randel! Snap out of it!_ ” Randel exclaims to himself silently in his head.

However, Rosalina covers her lips with one hand and chuckles, for some reason.

Just as Randel picks up his green crew bags and finishes exiting the hot air balloon, one of the Toads is quick enough to get his attention. “Oh, Mr. Van Deer! Before you go, Master Mario wanted me to give you this. It’s a gift from him.” He says, digging into his pocket and then holding up a clear glass ball with a glowing green-colored mushroom head just small enough to fit a pocket. It had a tiny white tag attached to it that read:

‘ _+1UP_

_For a rainy day!_

_Your friend,_

_Mario_ ’

Scoffing, Randel nods with a dirty smirk. “Thank you.”

After storing Mario’s little emergency gift into his pocket, he slowly turns around to see the black Luma appear right in front of him, floating excitedly with a white aura of stars emitting from his soft squishy star-shaped body. “Mr. Van Deer!” He greets excitedly with a Luma squeal. “It is such an honor to finally have you onboard the Comet Observatory! My name is Polari, the advisor of the princess you wished to serve. The Lady of the Shooting Stars has been expecting your presence. Please, come.” Polari gestures over to Rosalina with a smile.

“Why, thank you, little buddy.” Randel smirks as he makes his way towards Princess Rosalina.

“ _Little buddy?! Hahahahaha! He called me little buddy! Holy heavens!_ ” Polari squeals loudly in excitement, with the words spoken silently to himself in his…brain?

After what seems like a million years, Randel eventually stops in his tracks like as if his feet suddenly got frozen in an extremely ice-cold lake. The sight of the tall 5-foot 10-inch blonde-haired woman in the cyan dress strikes his nervous system like a lightning bolt. He does not realize it, but he stands there not hearing the Princess greeting him; all he hears is silence except for his own heartbeat increasing slightly rapidly. He can feel the surge of excitement beginning to rush through again. Randel couldn’t help but greatly admire Princess Rosalina’s physical characteristics. _“…So beautiful!_ ” Randel thought. He immediately declared to himself that the woman standing in front of him is a real legit princess. No offense, Princess Peach…

After what seemed like another million years, Randel’s ears eventually ‘filter’ out the silence, and he is able to hear him trying to greet his new host nervously. “Um…uh…u-uh…I, um….”

Chuckling once more, Rosalina shakes her head slightly with a smile. “It is a pleasure to have you, Mr. Van Deer. Welcome to my home and my ship, the Comet Observatory.” She welcomes him happily.

Finally hearing Rosalina’s greeting, Randel snaps himself out of it. Forgetting that she is a princess, Randel instantly drops his bags and kneels onto the floor just like he did when he was saying his goodbyes to his former host, Princess Peach. “Princess Rosalina.” He starts. “I humbly accept the warm welcome into your home, where I will gracefully serve under you as your new guardian.”

Again, chuckling once more, Rosalina says with a smile, “No need for the formalities, Mr. Van Deer. You are free to make yourself at home. This is now your new home, is it not?”

Realizing what Rosalina said, Randel feels slightly embarrassed. Helping himself up to his feet, he nods with a slight smile. “Sorry about that. I’m just, uh…too used to addressing myself to Princess Peach.” He says, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

Rosalina shakes her head. “That’s okay! I don’t like being too formal myself sometimes. Please, call me by my name, Rosalina. Or, Princess Rosalina, if you would like. And I shall call you by your name.”

“…I’ll agree with that.” Randel replies back. Wanting to break the awkwardness of his embarrassment, he decides to turn the direction of the conversation. “So…the Comet Observatory, you say? Wow. This place is huge.” Randel looks up, scanning the different levels and heights of the Comet Observatory, where he spots several domes, each with at least 2 Lumas floating next to one.

Hearing that, Polari squeals in agreement, and Rosalina continues to smile. “Impressive, isn’t it? My Lumas and I built it ourselves a very long time ago.”

“It explains how the architecture is very top notch.” Randel responds as he quickly glances towards the darkness of outer space, where millions of stars were shining in the very far distances.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Rosalina says gratefully with her serene smile. “So, tell me, Randel, what motivated you to become my new protector, up here, in space, in the middle of nowhere?”

Randel focuses his attention back to her the moment he hears her question and locks eyes with her ocean blue eyes. “Ah, hahaha.” He chuckles nervously. “Already on with the interview, I see. Well, then...” He says, to which Rosalina laughs. “Who better to protect than the one & only Protector of the Cosmos herself?” The ace fighter pilot says.

After thinking for a quick moment, Rosalina nods. “I see. And I guess you could ask me, who better to have as my protector than the most skilled ace fighter pilot in all of the Mushroom Kingdom?” Upon saying this, she ends it with another cute smile, to which Randel blushes with slight embarrassment.

“And I’ll take that as my compliment.” Randel says back, reciprocating the exact same reply Rosalina spoke just now. Hearing the same reply, both Randel and Rosalina laugh amusingly. After their long moment of laughter, the sounds of Polari catches Rosalina’s attention.

“Oh…” Polari says, which is barely audible, but enough for Rosalina to hear. Apparently, he was noticing something between Rosalina and Randel.

Rosalina turns her head to look at Polari while keeping her small smile. “Hmm?” She says to Polari, curious about why he was making little unordinary sounds in the middle of their small moment.

Before Polari can say something, the sounds of a few Lumas of various color and the Toads of the F-14D’s hot air balloon linger from a section of the Comet Observatory grounds just some distance away. This catches Randel’s, Rosalina’s, and Polari’s attention as they turn towards the source of commotion. It turns out that the Lumas are surprised to see Randel’s F-14D fighter aircraft now aboard their home, since they never expected it to be stored there; they were only aware of Randel’s coming. Upon delivering the F-14D safely onto the platform, one of the Toads signals to the Toads of the hot air balloon that Randel rode on, signaling their time to departure.

“That platform over there is the garage.” Rosalina mentions to Randel as they continue to watch one of the Lumas transform into a green star, which acts as a direct transport portal to instantly send the Toads back to Princess Peach’s castle in minutes. “I see that you brought your fighter plane along. That was agreed on, so I will allow it onboard since there is still enough room for a few more vehicles.” She explains.

Randel nods. “Yes. My plane.” He says with a very cold, dark tone. Rosalina then looks at him. “An ace pilot without his plane is like an eagle without its wings. In the skies…that plane is everything to me.”

As Randel finishes that interesting sentence while eyeing his F-14D parked on the garage’s platform, Rosalina can’t help but continue to look at him. She scans him from head to toe, noting the formal black suit & red tie he is wearing. For some reason, Rosalina got a cold, yet intriguing feeling from him. She figured this shouldn’t have been surprising to hear from a man like Randel Van Deer. She knew that Randel knew his stuff about a fighter pilot’s life in the skies. What Rosalina is very curious about is Randel’s audacity: she wonders what drives him to do what he does, how he became what he is, who or what he is fighting for. She found it interesting how Randel was willing to go through all kinds of pain and go above the limits of the sky to achieve his goals, which probably explained his amazing success as the Mushroom Kingdom’s renowned ace fighter pilot. Rosalina knows she will get along with her new protector, but at the same time, she gets the feeling that there are some things about him that could be difficult to find out. Was there a dark past Randel kept hidden from everyone? Was there an enemy out there that Randel had that made him use Rosalina to get to them? Or was there some other motive Randel had for whatever his purpose was here? These are questions that wander Rosalina’s mind as she continues staring at her new pilot.

Never mind, Rosalina thought. Either way, ever since Randel stepped foot on the Comet Observatory, she got this great feeling that this was the best thing to ever happen to her, and she kept her faith in him. She knew that Randel already felt so welcomed and so valued here that he wouldn’t give her & the Lumas up for anything else. Because she & the Lumas were his true purpose. And she is eager to see it all through as time goes by.

“Since you specialize in battles in the skies, what is your proficiency in ground battles?” Rosalina asks curiously after shaking the many thoughts from her mind.

Hearing the question, Randel looks down at the ground for a moment before looking back into Rosalina’s beautiful ocean blue eyes. “It’s sufficient. I assume the Lumas can hold their ground?”

Rosalina nods. “Yes, but they can only do so much. They are enough against a mild attack on the Comet Observatory grounds. We have been getting attacks by enemies from an unknown source lately, and we have yet to determine their origins.”

“Huh…” Randel says. “…air attacks?”

Rosalina nods in agreement. “That’s right. And…I believe that’s where you come in?”

Knowing that Rosalina acknowledged his flight combat profession, Randel begins to smile. Rosalina reciprocates the smile. “Affirmative, Princess!” Randel declares with a firm voice, forcing a slight chuckle out of Rosalina. Upon watching the green star send the Toads & their hot air balloons back towards the Mushroom Kingdom, Rosalina decides to shift the focus of their meeting.

“Well, we wouldn’t want to hold up the grand tour any longer. Shall we?” Princess Rosalina says as she takes out her wand. With one wave of her wand, lights activate throughout the rest of the Comet Observatory areas, fully revealing the other domes. Upon doing so, she hands her wand to Polari to hold on for her.

Randel scoffs. “Ah, the tour. Of course!” He exclaims as he starts walking with Rosalina shoulder-to-shoulder towards one of the sections of the first level of the Comet Observatory.

As Rosalina and Randel continue walking, Polari follows them from behind with Rosalina’s wand in hand. He has a very big smile on his face. His smile expresses joy, because he saw something that they both hadn’t realized at this moment yet, something he hasn’t seen during the many centuries he’s spent with Rosalina before.

…He saw a great, unique connection between the space princess and her new fighter pilot.

((()))

_**To be continued...** _


	4. Grand Tour

**_Chapter 4_ **

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**_“Grand Tour”_ **

****

((()))

Rosalina, with her hands interlaced into each other in front of her, walks in smooth strides as she begins showcasing the different areas of the Comet Observatory grounds. Randel walks beside her, with Polari following them from behind while holding onto Rosalina’s wand. “As you can see here, this is the terrace dome. It is mainly used to examine the distant galaxies, planets, and stars that you see all around us.” The space princess explains, motioning towards the terrace dome. “I have placed my father’s old telescope in there for that purpose.”

Randel responds back after waving back to 2 Lumas, one yellow and one pink, waving at him. “I’ll have to try that out when I get the chance.”

Smiling at him, Rosalina then proceeds to the next stop, the garage, which they have just seen a moment ago. “As you saw earlier, this is the Comet Observatory’s garage.”

“Ah, yes. Save your breath, princess. This is where I will be most of the time.” Randel finishes for Rosalina.

She lets out a small chuckle while scanning the sight of Randel’s F-14D ‘Super Tomcat’ fighter plane. Several Lumas were gathering around it, admiring its fierce-looking appearance, while curiosity of its capabilities grew on their minds. “That is quite a machine you have. The Lumas seem to be fond of it. I have never seen any other aircraft like it on our home planet.” She comments about the plane before looking over at Randel.

He nods after looking back at her. “It’s one of a kind.”

After finishing his reply, he and Rosalina hear a loud lively voice behind them.

“Yes, it is indeed!” The voice says firmly. Randel and Rosalina both turn around to see a big purple Luma wearing a pair of blue plaid pants, much to Randel’s surprise.

“I don’t think I have met you before.” Randel states, scanning the big purple Luma from head to toe.

“Randel, this is Lubba, my second-in-command of the Comet Observatory. He is the leader of the Lumas.” Rosalina gives the quick introduction about Lubba. “I informed him about your permanent stationing here.”

Lubba chuckles loudly and places both of his pointy ‘hands’ on his sides as he shifts his eyes to the sight of the F-14D on the garage’s large platform. “Out of all the kinds of machines I’ve seen out there, that’s a fine one, I tell you! I also fix machines with a few of the Lumas around here, so you don’t have to worry about your machine malfunctioning. Big ol’ Lubba has your back, Mr. Van Deer!”

Smiling because he takes Lubba’s comments as a compliment, Randel responds back to him politely. “A plane is only as good as its mechanic & its pilot.”

Lubba smirks. “…So, you’re the one.” He says as Rosalina watches them. Lubba has heard about the stories of a skillful renowned fighter pilot in the Mushroom Kingdom who led it to its victory in the last war against King Bowser, and he could not believe said pilot was standing right in front of him.

Randel returns the smirk. “Yes, I am.” He says rather coldly.

For a quick moment, Lubba and Rosalina look at each other. Their minds automatically communicated non-verbally and non-visually, confirming that they indeed had the best fighter pilot with them on their home/ship. After the quick glance, Rosalina looks over to the F-14D. “That’s a rather interesting paint scheme it has, Randel.” Rosalina gestures to the F-14D with her head, resulting in Randel turning around to scan it from nose to tail. Rosalina acknowledges its gray paint; however, what really catches her eyes is Princess Peach’s pink gold crown emblem on both tail fins of the F-14D. As she sees this, she forms a dirty smirk on her face.

“Um, yeah…thanks.” Randel says a bit nervously.

“Well, I have a better one in mind.” She chuckles, much to Randel’s confusion. Making a quick signal to Polari, he makes one quick wave of Rosalina’s wand. Immediately, the Lumas surrounding the F-14D spin swiftly in the air, and they fly around the plane like a heavy blur, until eventually finishing their task. “Well, what do you think?” Rosalina finally asks her pilot with a smile.

Randel’s eyes blink repeatedly several times, not believing what he just saw. What would take Toads a few hours to perform only took the Lumas seconds to do: the F-14D’s paint scheme changed from its plain gray color to a white color, with cyan-colored stripes along the wings, tail fins, rear rudders, and canopy. It resembled the color scheme of the outfit Rosalina would wear when riding bikes & ATV’s in the World Kart Tour. Randel also sees that Princess Peach’s emblem on the tail fins changed to a cyan-colored circle with a yellow Grand Star inside it, which was Rosalina’s emblem.

After watching the paint scheme’s transformation, Randel becomes speechless.

This makes Rosalina and Lubba laugh. “That looks much better now, don’t you think?” Rosalina says playfully with a smile.

Realizing the F-14D’s paint scheme had to match & represent who he is serving and protecting, Randel shoots a gentle smile to Rosalina. “…Of course!”

After laughing once more, Rosalina gestures towards the next dome. “This way, shall we?” She says, making Randel follow her.

“I’ll give your machine a nice touch up for you, Mr. Van Deer!” Lubba calls out as he begins walking up the steps leading to the garage’s platform, who Randel nods with thanks.

((()))

Rosalina, Randel, and Polari approach the next dome. However, this dome appears to be at an elevated position with water flowing from it, and it requires hopping onto the boost mechanism to get up to it. A blue Luma and a yellow Luma stood next to the dome’s entrance.

“This is the fountain dome.” Rosalina says. “This where I…we, bathe. Sometimes I come here to meditate my thoughts.”

Randel nods. “I love a good bath.” He comments with a small smirk. The 2 Lumas next to the fountain dome squeal excitedly as Rosalina smiles at them. The next thing that happens after that catches Randel by surprise.

Rosalina suddenly holds out her hand, which makes Randel look at it, then at her face. “Please, take my hand.” She says in a gentle, fearless tone.

Confused by this, Randel is reluctant to do so. “P-Princess…?”

Rosalina closes her eyes and smiles. “Trust me.”

Sighing, Randel gently takes ahold of Rosalina’s hand. A mysterious power suddenly surged through their bodies and, much to Randel’s surprise, they begin floating high up in the air with a clear magical protective bubble surrounding them. It isn’t long before they reach a platform where the next dome is. The bubble finally disappears after their feet touch the platform safely.

“Whoa…” Randel mutters under his breath. He realizes the amount of magical, mysterious powers that Rosalina possesses, and the levitation is one of them. He now got a clue of just how powerful Rosalina is, despite being an immortal but ordinary-looking young woman. Rosalina opens her eyes and continues her tour.

“This is the engine room dome. The Comet Observatory is partially powered by the engines in this dome. The Power Stars are the primary source of power for the engines.” Rosalina explains the engine dome to Randel, who nods to validate his paying attention. “I have one Gearmo inside that does most of the mechanical troubleshooting and maintenance, so we don’t have too much to worry about should the Comet Observatory have major mechanical trouble.”

The green Luma floating next to the entrance of the engine room dome mentions something to Randel. “It could get hot in there, Mr. Van Deer! Be careful!” It says to him.

After taking a quick peek inside the dome to see the Gearmo tending to one of the engines, Randel forms a smirk. “Thanks for the heads up. Looks like I’ll have to make a stop by the fountain before coming to the engine room, for the sake of my hydration.”

“Hm!” Rosalina chuckles slightly before holding out her hand again, which ends up being Randel’s cue to grasp her hand again. In a quick motion, the bubble surrounds them again, and it transports them to a higher platform atop the Comet Observatory. From there, Randel can see the entire grounds of the Comet Observatory inhabited by the numerous amounts of Lumas. Rosalina then proceeds to introduce the next dome.

“This is the garden dome, my own personal garden.” Rosalina says, looking at the view of the blue and purple flowers inside. However, she is silent after finishing her sentence, and Randel notices this. He watches her staring at the white flowers with a blank emotionless face. It feels as though life got sucked out of her body.

Wanting to break the awkward silence, Randel decides to speak jokingly. “Um…the garden, eh? Looks like this is where I go if I need flowers for a date.” He laughs nervously. However, the joke is ineffective as Rosalina just walks away and points to another dome nearby, which requires transporting by magical bubble to get to it. Randel is puzzled as he stares at Rosalina.

“That is the Gate.” Rosalina points to the Gate, completely ignorant of Randel’s confusion. “It leads to the Gateway Galaxy. Since the last war, I had all of the galaxy portals in the Comet Observatory shut down for the sake of safety. There should be no reason for anyone to go through there.” The blonde-haired space princess says coldly.

Before Randel can interrupt her with his growing curiosity of her sudden shift in mood, Rosalina summons another bubble around them to transport them back to ground level of the Comet Observatory. Randel sighs in defeat, deciding to wait until after the tour is over to bring up her mood at the garden dome. He becomes concerned for her.

It isn’t long before they reach the ground, where they end up right in front of a dome with purple curtains accompanied by a gold-trimmed arch decorated with gold stars. Rosalina gestures towards the dome. “This is my bedroom.” She says before looking at him. Randel struggles to let out a nervous smile, but she already knows what he is thinking. “I will leave it at that.” She finishes before turning around to continue down the long platform. However, her attention is caught when she feels Randel grasping her wrist gently.

“Princess…are you alright?” Randel asks with concern.

Without looking at him, Rosalina just nods. “I’m fine. The garden just gives me…bad memories.”

Hearing this, Randel lets go of Rosalina’s wrist. “Oh. Sorry. I understand. I won’t question further.” He apologizes. Though, Rosalina shakes her head.

“It’s okay, Randel. Please, there is one more place I want to show you.” Rosalina says as she gestures forward, with Polari taking the initiative to go straight to the next dome to wait for them. Randel nods, then follows her from behind until they reach the last dome of the tour. However, the moment they reach the dome, Randel’s face became emotionless. Because the dome is…

“This dome is the library.” Rosalina points out. An orange Luma floating by its entrance waves at them excitedly to greet them. “This is where I read stories to the Lumas, usually before our bedtime. They’re just like little children.” She says with a small smile forming on her lips.

Randel, however, shows no enthusiasm over the library. He stares at it coldly for a long moment; he even catches sight of another telescope on a shelf beside the entrance that resembles Rosalina’s father’s old telescope. There was something about this dome that did not charm Randel in any way. What was it about the library that caused this cold mood from Randel?

Wanting to shake the thought of the library off his mind, he sighs deeply and shakes his head.

“It seems like that is the end of the grand tour.” Rosalina finally declares as Polari lets out a little Luma squeal. “It is almost time for dinner in the kitchen. I will meet you there shortly, Randel.” She says with a smile.

Randel nods. “Thank you, princess. I shall join you.” He thanks her politely before watching her walk away to tend to a group of Lumas nearby. Randel enjoyed the tour, but at the same time, he felt uneasy, or bothered, by the sight of the library. Apparently, he knows something about Rosalina’s library that haunted his mind like a Boo ghost. Something in there made him want to refrain himself from ever entering it, for some reason.

Right now, Randel hopes he does not have to go into Rosalina’s library.

((()))

**_ To be continued… _ **


	5. Dinner is Served

**_Chapter 5_ **

****

**_“Dinner is Served”_ **

****

((()))

The library.

Rosalina’s library.

All those shelves.

All those books.

The fire place.

The rocking chair.

The butterfly net.

The stuffed bunny.

The telescope.

Those are the thoughts that haunt Randel Van Deer’s mind as he follows his new princess into her Kitchen Dome, which is straight across from the Library Dome. Something dark lies in that library, and Randel knows he would be devastated to even go in there. He knows what’s in there. He knows what happened. He knows his one true fear that was an obstacle dividing himself and Rosalina. And it is in that very dome: Rosalina’s library. He knows if he hears it again, he will become heartbroken.

Because…

“Please, join me.” The sound of Rosalina’s calm, mature-sounding voice suddenly catches Randel’s attention.

Noticing an empty chair on one end of the yellow star-shaped dining table, Randel slowly sits down and is about to scoot himself towards the table for a more comfortable position, but he is surprised when the chair scoots by itself. Looking behind him, he sees a yellow Luma and a blue Luma, whom he realizes scooted the chair for him. They squeal softly with a hint of a happy smile in their black oval-shaped eyes. “ _Aw…polite gesture, little ones_.” Randel thought to himself as he smiles back at the Lumas. “Thank you.” Randel thanks them politely.

However, Randel notices a small chuckle from Rosalina. He gets curious as to why she is chuckling…

The blue and yellow Lumas then hover over to the archway to wait until they are told to be dismissed from the kitchen. Upon doing so, Randel returns his attention back to Rosalina, where he notices Polari hovering next to her.

“There is the lamb, the sliced potatoes, the tea, and everything else we prepared like you asked.” Polari points out, showing his master the various delicious food on the big star-shaped dining table. “Would you like anything else, princess?” Polari asks.

Rosalina shakes her head. “That is all, Polari. Thank you.” She gently thanks her trusted advisor. Taking this as a cue that he & the other 2 Lumas are being dismissed from the Kitchen Dome, he nods to them, and they glide their way out of the kitchen…

…leaving just Princess Rosalina and her new fighter pilot, Randel Van Deer, alone at the dining table for dinner.

There is an awkward moment of silence between them as they lock gazes into each other’s eyes. All that lingers in the air surrounding their presence are the sounds of the small fire cackling in the small chimney stove near the dining table and the sweet, breath-taking fragrance of honey. Curious about the smell, Randel realizes that the smell of honey was coming from the large ceramic bowl of colorful Star Bits: the magical, tasty, yet mysterious preferred choice of food of the Lumas, which are summoned by them randomly at will. Randel had to give the Lumas credit for being able to just make food pop out of thin air; they pretty much had infinite food, which meant the Lumas will never, ever starve.

Finally wanting to break the silence in the kitchen, Rosalina speaks. “Dinner is served. Please, help yourself. Anything you’d like.”

Randel smirks as he picks up his white ceramic plate. “My welcoming meal. How splendid.”

His response forces a chuckle and a smile from Rosalina. She proceeds to transfer some of the food over to her plate with the silver fork and spoon she has. “It feels very different…” She begins, catching Randel’s curiosity.

“Hm?” Randel says as he begins to eat some lamb chops after picking some food from the middle of the dining table.

“You know, having supper with another…human.” Rosalina says. “It’s been so long since I’ve eaten a meal with someone. It has always been me and the Lumas in every meal.” She finishes as she begins eating a few vegetables.

Thinking for a moment, Randel then realizes what Rosalina means. Knowing her past, he realizes it indeed has been her & the Lumas together for many centuries throughout the cosmos. He got a clue of how boring it must have been, despite inheriting the mysterious ability of immortality after accepting the duty to become the mother of the Lumas and the Protector of the Cosmos.

“I understand.” Randel replies as he sips down some warm apricot-flavored tea, which was Rosalina’s favorite preferred drink.

They both continue to consume their supper, with several silent moments passing by. Then, eventually, they continue a conversation.

“So…” Rosalina says, grabbing a few slices of bread. “…are you always this protective of a princess?” She asks curiously.

Blinking rapidly, Randel nods while slightly choking on some water. “Uh, yes, of course. It’s my, uh…specialty.”

“Hm…specialty?” Rosalina says before chuckling with a smile. “Protecting princesses in your fighter plane is your expertise?” She asks playfully in an attempt to tease Randel a bit.

Though, Randel is slightly embarrassed. “Well, it’s more than that, you know? It’s…the passion. It’s what I do best, I guess. Up there in the skies…it feels like I own this unique culture. A lost art.”

Locking her ocean blue eyes into his dark brown eyes, the space princess chuckles again. “No wonder your reputation precedes you, Mr. Van Deer.”

In response, Randel raises his silver goblet of apricot tea to Rosalina with a small smile before sipping some more. However, he notices some slight shivering of his body. “I-Is it always this cold in here?” He asks while wrapping his arms around his upper arms to rub them rapidly, so he can warm them up with the produced friction.

“I’m afraid so. It’s cold in space. That’s why you see many fireplaces and mini bonfires placed throughout the Comet Observatory.” Rosalina explains while pointing at the chimney stove nearby, where it continues cackling with its long-lasting flames.

“Right. Thank heavens for that.” Randel says. “You know, now that you mention it, I’ve got to say, it gets cold up there in the skies.”

Slightly surprised, Rosalina smirks as she grabs a few Star Bits to eat. “Cold? In the skies? But won’t the sun…”

Before Rosalina could finish her question, Randel cuts her off, saving her some breath. “The air is coldest in the highest points of the Earth’s atmosphere. That’s why I have my flight suit.” He then grabs a Star Bit and puts one in his mouth to chew it. “It seems cold environments are our specialty, princess.”

Rosalina lets out yet another chuckle. “Oh, Mr. Van Deer! You really are one of a kind.” She compliments, to which Randel returns with a dirty smirk.

Unbeknownst to them both, Polari and other various colors of Lumas were eavesdropping on their conversation, with a few Lumas even watching the conversation through the tiny windows above the kitchen sink. Some of them were smiling because they were noticing a chemistry between Rosalina and Randel.

“Ah, you know, I’ve really got to give it to your Lumas. They are just amazing. I loved them the moment I arrived here. You know, it’s like they’re humans. It’s very welcoming.” Randel delightfully compliments with a couple of nods.

With that, Rosalina feels her heart jump. She’s surprised and flattered. “I very much appreciate yet another compliment, Mr. Van Deer. You have no idea how much the Lumas mean to me. They are everything to me.” Rosalina thanks him, with a little bit of emotion hinted in her voice. “They are truly my family.”

When Rosalina says this, Randel mutters under his own breath so that she is not able to hear. “Yeah…”

After taking another sip of apricot tea due to feeling satisfied from the big meal, the space princess locks her gaze onto her fighter pilot, waiting to hear more from him at the table. And he notices, so he continues.

“So…is it true that you are the blue comet that visits our planet once every 100 years?” Randel asks. Though, he already knows…

Rosalina nods in response. “That is correct. The Comet Observatory can travel through the universe, galaxy-to-galaxy, effortlessly, as a blue comet. My very first Luma made it possible when I…”

“ _First Luma. Yeah…_ ” Randel thought to himself while sighing silently.

“…wanted to come back…” Rosalina pauses for a moment before finishing. “…home.”

At this point, Randel stays quiet. Because when he heard her finish that last sentence, he felt as though the entire universe had been sucked into a black hole. He felt his heart weighing heavily inside his chest. His throat felt tightened. He didn’t want to think about it…

Suddenly, Rosalina speaks, instantly catching Randel’s attention. “Oh! That reminds me! It’s almost bedtime for the Lumas.”

“B-Bedtime?” Randel asks in confusion. His brain begins thinking really hard.

_Bedtime…_

_BEDTIME._

“I always read a bedtime story to the Lumas in the library before they sleep. Please, come with us.” Rosalina insists with a smile as she signals for Polari and a few other multi-colored Lumas to take over the kitchen & clean up. They emit soft Luma squeals and nod as Rosalina stands up from her chair.

“T-The library?” Randel gulps, feeling his throat tighten. “W-What story are you reading tonight…?” He asks a bit nervously. He can feel his heart rising in his chest.

Rosalina looks at him with a small smile. “Every night’s story is a surprise. Let’s go!” She says cheerfully as she proceeds to exit the Kitchen Dome.

Then, it struck Randel right in the chest.

They were about to have story time in the library: the last place in the universe he dreaded of.

((()))

**_ To be continued… _ **


	6. Pains of Centuries Past

**_Chapter 6_ **

****

**_“Pains of Centuries Past”_ **

****

((()))

The renowned fighter pilot stares blankly at the cackling fire of the fireplace behind Rosalina’s wooden rocking chair. From it, the relieving warmth spreads throughout the entirety of the library, making it comfortable enough for the numerous amounts of Lumas, Rosalina, and Randel himself. The library: the dome Randel dreaded so much. And he is now in there, listening to the words being read from Rosalina. Randel’s mind, however, is as though a kill switch just activated: he forces his mind to block out Rosalina’s story-telling. Because he couldn’t take any more of it.

Because what Rosalina is reading has already broken down his soul, his emotions, and his morale in the past:

Rosalina’s backstory.

Yes…Rosalina’s early days as a child. Her past. Her journey. Her tragedy.

During the course of the last war, Randel has heard of Rosalina’s backstory, but only in bits & pieces from Mario and Luigi. At first, he believed the stories were too good to be true, or most likely a myth, rather. Back then, Randel never believed such a powerful goddess was born from a tragedy & a special, everlasting bond with an entire star species, until he saw Rosalina for the first time with his very own bare eyes. He remembered the day he witnessed some of her magical powers: the astonishment he felt when he witnessed them while flying past the Comet Observatory in his F-14D ‘Super Tomcat’ was the biggest astonishment he felt. Despite never having met Rosalina in-person up until now, it was that moment that he fought hard to survive in the last war to see the day of finally meeting her, which came true.

Though, it came with its ups & downs…

“ _A beam of light pierced through the ship's window_.” Rosalina reads calmly from her story book while looking up constantly to make eye contact with a Luma.

“ _Thinking it was the morning sun, the girl peered through the window, only to find a turquoise blue comet shimmering at her. The little girl shook the sleeping Luma awake and shouted excitedly, "We HAVE to get to that comet!_ ” She reads enthusiastically, making several Lumas emit sounds of excitement. And so, she continues.

“ _The pair descended on the comet and found that it was made of ice. They looked high and low, but Luma's mother was nowhere to be found. Exhausted, the little girl sat down with a flop, utterly unable to take another step. "Look!" Peering down at the icy ground where Luma was pointing, the girl suddenly noticed clusters of Star Bits encased in the ice. "Pretty good, huh? Finding Star Bits is my specialty!" said Luma, beaming. "There's ice here, but it's so warm, I'll bet there's water here too." The two decided to stay on the comet for a while. Riding the turquoise comet, the pair continued their search for Luma's mother._ ” Rosalina reads, finishing the current chapter.

Randel, on the other hand, is half ‘conscious.’ He heard the words, yet his mind wanted to yield. Randel felt a strong guilt weighing down on him. He felt one of his greatest enemies: his fear. His second greatest enemy: his sadness, or sorrow. All Randel could do was stare at the blazing orange flames behind Rosalina. He did not want to be in her library, but he did not have a choice because he felt it would be a rude gesture not to attend her bedtime story:

The bedtime story of the beginning of her journey & transformation into becoming the mother of the Lumas, the Protector of the Cosmos, and the Space Goddess with mystical powers.

Randel didn’t have much of a choice but to sit down with the Lumas & listen to Rosalina’s story ‘all over again.’ And it pained him, because before transferring to her Comet Observatory, he has read a copy of her story book many, many times. Many countless times…

Rosalina turns the page to reveal the start of the next chapter. “ _Chapter four: the Dream_.” She announces out loud before turning the page again. At this point, Randel can feel his throat tightening: the anxiety is catching up to him.

“ _One night, the girl dreamed about her own mother. "Where are you going?" she asked her mother's retreating back. Without turning, her mother replied, "Don't fret, dearest. I'm not going anywhere. I'm always watching over you, like the sun in the day and the moon in the night_.” She reads. The Lumas emit sounds of interest. With this, Rosalina continues.

“ _A wave of sadness washed over the girl. "What about when it rains, and I can't see the sun or the moon?" Her mother thought for a moment before responding. "I will turn into a star in the clouds and wait for your tears to dry." When she awoke, the girl's face was damp with tears. "You have Star Bits in your eyes!" said Luma to the girl. Wiping her face, the girl replied, "These are tears, not Star Bits. I'm crying because I'll never see my mother ever again!" At this, Luma began to cry too. "Mama, oh, Mama... waaaah!_ ” Rosalina finishes.

Upon finishing the 4th chapter of her story book, every Luma in the library begins to emit sounds of sorrow, and all of them cry Star Bits. After watching the various colors of Star Bits shattering upon landing on the floor, Randel can’t help but close his eyes & hold in his own tears. He can feel it. It feels closer & closer. The emotions are at its peak, waiting to emerge. Randel tries to fight them as hard as he can so that Rosalina nor the Lumas can notice.

Some time passes.

Eventually, Rosalina arrives at Chapter 6: Friends of the story book.

_“Then one day, while the girl sat sipping tea, a tiny apricot-colored planet appeared on the horizon_.” Rosalina reads with more enthusiasm this time.

“ _From the planet, another Luma of the same color emerged. "Do you two know each other?!" the girl asked the two Lumas gleefully. Despite the girl's excitement, they seemed uneasy. The two Lumas neither drew closer nor backed away from each other. Instead, they just stared. Then one Luma broke the silence. "My mama!" At once, the apricot Luma parroted back, "My mama! My mama!" "My mama!" "My mama!" The two Lumas began to dance around the girl frantically, and neither showed any sign of stopping. The girl was so charmed by this adorable scene that she couldn't help but laugh. And that's when something very strange happened. Suddenly, more Lumas began to pop out from the apricot planet. They were different colors, but they all shouted the same thing. "My mama!" "My mama!" The sight of all the shouting Lumas only made the girl laugh harder. "What am I going to do with all these children?!" The Lumas just stared blankly as she doubled over laughing. "I guess we'll have to name each and every one of you." Tomorrow, once she had finished naming them all, she would begin moving all the Lumas into the new house_.”

Rosalina finishes the sixth chapter as she looks up to continue making eye contact with the Lumas, who were squealing happily, going as far as performing their own backflips in the air where they each hover. Whenever the Lumas heard that part of their mother’s story, they became the happiest species to have ever lived in the entire universe. To become accepted & cared for by the celestial mother they were searching for all that time: a little, red-haired girl who came from royalty on the Mushroom World.

It was Rosalina’s celestial destiny. It was meant to be.

At this point, Randel can feel his heart rising in his chest. His heart rate begins to increase rapidly, because he knows the next chapter is about…

“ _After seeing their 100th comet, a sudden thought popped into the girl's head: "I wonder if my home planet is still as blue as it was." That's when she remembered her father's telescope_.” Rosalina begins the seventh chapter.

“ _The telescope_ …” Randel thought to himself the instant he heard that word spoken calmly from Rosalina’s lips.

Rosalina continues.

“ _Peeking into the telescope, a tiny blue dot floated into sight. It was smaller than a Star Bit. "How strange... It's so far away, but it feels so close." She twisted the knob of the telescope, and the blue dot grew until she could make out a grassy hill dotted with flowers. It seemed very familiar to her. Zooming even closer, a terrace on the hill came into view. "I used to go stargazing there when I lived on my home planet."_

_She remembered rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she followed her father up that hill to look at the stars..._

_She remembered how she and her brother would sled down that hill..._

_She remembered having picnics with her mother on that hill on bright and windy days... And..._ ”

As Rosalina starts to transition to the next scene of the chapter, the Lumas’ expressions fade from expressions of interest to expressions of sadness because they know what happens next, for they’ve heard the story a million times. Randel, also, braces for the worse, clenching both of his fists tightly. Because his emotions are about to get the best of him…

Rosalina turns the page and continues the next section. However, Rosalina herself now has a hint of emotion in her voice, like as if she is choking up. She can feel a tear slowly trickling down her cheek. She can feel the pain stabbing her heart like a long sharp blade. Despite reading her own story many times, she is never ready emotionally ready to read this part of the story to herself, but she did it nonetheless for the Lumas.

" _I want to go home! I want to go home right now!" The girl burst into tears, and the Lumas didn't know what to do. "I want to go home! I want to go back to my house by the hill! I want to see my mother!" The girl was shouting now, her face wet with tears. "But I know she's not there! I knew all along that she wasn't out there in the sky! Because...because..._ "

As Rosalina finishes that part, both of her cheeks at this point are now soaked with a few tears, despite keeping her calm mood throughout the entire story. The Lumas are about to begin crying more Star Bits. Randel, however, begins to fight himself…

“ _No..._ ” Randel says to himself in his head. “ _No…no. No, no, no, no, no…_ ”

Rosalina begins the next part.

“She’s-“ Rosalina begins the next part. However, she is cut off by a sudden loud voice yelling out of the blue:

Randel.

“NO!” The fighter pilot screams loudly: his voice echoing through the Library Dome. The Lumas suddenly stop their crying and turn around to stare at Randel with much surprise & confusion: their black oval-shaped eyes widened and question marks can be visualized above their ‘heads.’ This also surprises Rosalina when she stops reading to look up at Randel. She can hear the anger in his voice. Never has she ever seen such a reaction to her story in the many centuries she & the Lumas have lived. Not to mention that she hasn’t seen a burst of anger on her Comet Observatory before, especially from another human being.

Randel swiftly stands up on his two feet with both of his fists closed tightly in anger, and his breaths become shallow from the sudden increase in heart rate. His rage and sorrow has emerged from the beast caged deep within. Ignoring the stares of confusion from the Lumas, Randel locks serious eyes with Rosalina, whose reddened & widened eyes stop releasing tears as a result, and her mouth is open slightly to express confusion & concern. “NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!” He yells angrily again, further scaring her & the Lumas, with the latter wincing fearfully in response. “Don’t you dare read another word of that…chapter. Just…don’t.” He says.

Still shocked, Rosalina watches as Randel swiftly & angrily removes his black suit jacket by gripping it more tightly than he has ever gripped and throwing it down on the floor near some Lumas, who back away & tremble fearfully in response. Rosalina & the Lumas watch as Randel storms out of the Library Dome angrily, with his loud footsteps very much audible to the ear.

A moment of confusion and silence filled the dome. During this time, the tears on Rosalina’s soft fair cheeks finally dry up, and the Lumas look at each other, who are too puzzled to even try to figure out what just happened before their eyes. Rosalina, feeling a bit bad for Randel, tilts her head downward so that she lowers her gaze to the floor. Deciding that she should cut the story short tonight, she decides to close her story book.

After another moment of silence, Rosalina’s ears are met with the words of Polari. “Princess?” He asks.

Looking up at him, she answers calmly despite her shocked state. “Y-Yes, Polari…?”

“W-What just happened? What is wrong with Mr. Van Deer?” The black, blue-eyed Luma asks with a sense of puzzlement in his voice.

Thinking for a moment, Rosalina returns her gaze back to her story book, which she notices its brown leather finish, the gold border lines along its edges, and the Grand Star emblem on its front cover. An idea sparks in her mind as she returns her gaze to her most trusted advisor Luma. “I think I might know.” She answers.

“It seemed he didn’t want you reading any further of chapter seven.” Polari states, pointing at the story book with one of his ‘hands.’

_“…The part when my mother…?_ ” Rosalina thought to herself as she stares at the story book again.

“Could that be the cause of his commotion, princess? Clearly, we are all worried sick.” Polari says, pointing at the Lumas, who were muttering to each other about Randel’s angry scene.

Before responding, Rosalina closes her eyes and inhales a deep breath, as usual when she wants to relieve a bit of mental stress. Upon doing so, she opens her beautiful ocean blue eyes, and a small smile now forms on her lips. “I will talk to him.” Rosalina assures Polari, much to his relief.

It is that moment where Rosalina realizes Randel felt the way he did because he shared the same emotion as her about her story:

The pains of centuries past.

((()))

**_ To be continued… _ **


End file.
